The steamy “dog days of summer” were once believed to be an evil time when the sea boiled, wine turned sour and dogs grew mad. Around the Chicago area, it’s the dog owners who grow mad–and frustrated–desperately searching for new ways to entertain Fido.
So just follow this Friday Guide, and your family pooch will have a busier social calendar than most owners. Here is a selection of dog-friendly destinations and events.
Bar scene
At the Dalmatian Lounge, a typical pickup line goes, “Excuse me, do you have a plastic bag?”
It’s no surprise that this place welcomes man’s best friend. “It’s amazing, a dog walks in and you can see the smiles sweep across the faces,” says managing partner Ron Slattery. “Dogs are therapeutic, they make people feel good.”
Lakeview resident Gary Katauskas frequently has his 12-week-old Labrador retriever puppy at his side at the Dalmatian Lounge, and he gets right to the point: “Let’s face it, dogs are chick magnets.”
While that may be true, others just want to bond with their pets. Mary Wagstaff, who resides in the DePaul area, is sitting at a bar stool in the Marquee Lounge with her 3-year-old black Labrador retriever, Opal, at her side. “Just call us drinking buddies,” she says and laughs. “I work full time, so I treasure the time I have with my dog.”
Technically, bars that serve food aren’t supposed to allow dogs–and there’s even some ambiguity about bars that don’t have kitchens. However, one highly placed official at the Chicago Department of Revenue says that the city looks the other way because there never has been a complaint. “Just so the dogs aren’t served under age,” he says.
Dr. Ed McGinniss, of the Animal Care Center of Lake Villa, is the incoming president of the Chicago Veterinary Medical Association. “I don’t officially endorse dogs drinking beer; still, a sip every now and then can’t hurt,” he says. Actually, the vet cautions against any pet hanging out too often in smoky bars. “Dogs are probably as susceptible to passive smoke as people are,” he says.
Will’s Northwoods Inn is truly a place that’s gone to the dogs. Each year it hosts a summertime dog party or two. In May, the bar hosted a back-yard barbecue birthday party for Sammy, a 2-year-old cocker spaniel.
Guests on the A-list included Sammy’s buddies, Cindy the great Dane, Boche Ball the Dalmatian, Simon the beagle and Casey the Brittany.
Sammy’s owners, Clint Goree and Daryl Lorenc of Lakeview, who helped to defray the cost of the party, decided to invite the public at no charge. More than 100 people and 30 dogs showed up to hear the band, devour the five barbecued turkeys and nearly 200 hot dogs, drink Red Dog beer and chow down a homemade birthday cake made of liver sausage and Alpo.
Dogs hang at these places:
Dalmatian Lounge, 2683 N. Halsted St.; 312-348-9800. The white walls are sprinkled with black dots to match the bar’s name and the owners’ favorite breed. There is a pack of six or so Dalmatian owners who sometimes visit. It’s a sight to behold, each with a spotted dog and spotted T-shirts to match. “Dalmatians are a happy breed–and the perfect image for a bar,” managing partner Slattery says.
The bar is planning to bring in a photo booth so owners can take pictures with their dogs for a bar calendar. Proceeds will benefit a still-to-be-determined canine charity.
Jake’s, 2932 N. Clark St.; 312-248-3318. They have the best bouncer in the business, a 2 1/2-year-old Akita named Titus. Before Titus began working, purse snatchers and customers who walked without paying were an occasional problem. However, since Titus arrived, all that stopped.
Because Titus gets territorial, she goes home in the evening when customers are more likely to bring in their own dogs. “I understand,” says owner Scott Johnson. “If there’s a bar I can’t take Titus in, then I don’t go in.”
As a svelte Brittany makes her way into the bar, the bartender queries, “What would you like to drink, sweetheart? Is that water with or without ice? And enjoy this pig’s ear–it’s on the house.”
Marquee Lounge, 1973 N. Halsted St.; 312-988-7427. When the bar isn’t crowded, there’s even room to bounce a tennis ball. “Dogs need exercise; when it’s cold or raining out, taking my dog here is a lazy person’s way to exercise her,” Wagstaff says.
Rainbo Club, 1150 N. Damen Ave.; 312-489-5999. “We’re extremely dog friendly,” says manager Ken Ellis. “To tell you the truth, some dogs are more pleasant than our customers. So far, we’ve never turned down a dog.”
Ten Cat Tavern, 3931 N. Ashland Ave.; 312-935-5377. As if one cat isn’t enough, image 10–heaven for any dog. The bar is a blast from the past, like a circa-1960 home, complete with Formica table tops and chaise chairs. On occasion, a 6-year-old collie named Lassie arrives. All that’s missing are Tommy and June Lockhart.
Will’s Northwoods Inn, 3030 N. Racine Ave.; 312-528-4400. The major attraction is the barking-lot back yard, a great place for dogs to frolic and to party. No word yet on when the bar will hosts its next bash for dogs.
Hanging out
Timothy Walden of Rogers Park calls Princess, his 4-year-old golden retriever, his best friend. “I love going places with my dog,” he says. “Even experienced owners would be surprised at the kinds of places that accept well-behaved dogs and the kinds of things you can do with a dog.”
Here are some of those dog-friendly places (in all cases, the dogs must be on a leash):
At Gabby’s Barber Shop, 2860 N. Clark St., the dogs come in to watch the people get their hair clipped. Despite one dog who barked at customers as they entered the shop, owner Wayne Kauffman says that the dogs are good for business. “I think more retailers should allow dogs; it’s a very European thing to do,” perfect for this shop that offers the latest European hair cuts. Kauffman has so far denied all requests to clip dog hair.
Well-cultured dogs can learn about landscaping during Frank Lloyd Wright outdoor walking tours. Canine fans of the famous architect are welcome on the cassette-tape, self-guided tours anytime and on the River Forest Walking Tour, which begins at 2 p.m. Sept. 3 at the River Forest Methodist Church, 7970 Lake St. in River Forest. Tours are $6 per person, $4 for those 18 and under; dogs are free. Call 708-848-1976.
Natural Selection, 2260 N. Lincoln Ave., is a small card and gift shop. They lavish canine customers with biscuits. They even play hide ‘n’ seek with regulars, concealing biscuits and then letting the dogs search through the store for them.
Dogs aren’t relegated to small stores. A New York City tradition to welcome Fido at Bloomingdale’s, 900 N. Michigan Ave., continues in Chicago. Store spokesman David Ender says that at least one dog managed to get a Bloomy’s credit card in his name.
You might figure that a shop offering furniture, such as the Bombay Company, 2052 N. Halsted St., might be concerned about a dog chewing on a table leg. “I’m convinced dog owners who take their dogs to shops such as ours actually enjoy showing off how well-trained their pets are,” says manager Kymberly Guth. “In this neighborhood, more and more people are shopping with their dogs– some people even drive from other areas to shop with their dogs along North Halsted.”
However, even the most well-trained pooches love to rub themselves in foul-smelling odors and relish diving into mud puddles. Indeed it’s the busy season for do-it-yourself dog washes, Scrub Your Pup, 2935 N. Clark St., and Do It Yourself Doggy Wash, 6120 Cass Ave., Westmont. Both washes agree that skunk is the absolute worst among the stinks to remove from dog hair. Washes at either place are $15.
After a good shampoo, Fido might be ready to have a picture taken. Moto Photo at 1538 N. Clark St. specializes in canine portraits. “We began this for identification purposes,” says owner Joel Needleman. “But we found that owners want portraits of their dogs just as they do their children.” He says that it’s easy to get a dog to smile. Just say, “Look at the birdie.” The picture fee is $28.95.
For dogs that want to dress up for that portrait, they can get fitted with a tuxedo and receive a shave and hair cut at Famous Fido, 1533 W. Devon Ave. There’s also a party room for canines who are celebrating birthdays or obedience school graduation. Sometimes the dogs meet for a power lunch, as two Shetland sheepdogs and a beagle recently did. The party room is open Saturdays and Sundays only. The fee is $14 per dog, and reservations are required at 312-973-3436.
Dogs can also party at Citizen Canine, 2209 N. Halsted St., a bed and breakfast and day care center for dogs. Four-legged clients are held for the day for owners who are at work, or overnight for owners who are out of town. There are no cages at this unique boarding facility, which charges $18 for day care (including a massage) and $25 overnight. Call 312-935-3853.
Animal Lovers Inc. is a dating service for pet lovers. Clients are “fixed up” in typical dating-service fashion and can attend social gatherings, which the public is also invited to. The next gathering for Animal Lovers is Aug. 17 for a pool party at Citizen Canine. Sorry, only four-legged guests will have use of a plastic pool. For information, call 312-880-8784.
Chicago does have one unique canine distinction. It’s the only city with a major league ballpark that welcomes dogs. At Gate 7 at Comiskey Park, 333 W. 35th St., dogs pay only $3 to enter the park (the money goes to Canine Companions for Independence). However, all pooches must watch the game from kennels. Pet check at Comiskey came about because so many people travel to ballparks all over the country, and Sox officials felt bad for poor dogs who were kept in hot cars during games. White Sox representatives warn dog owners against kenneling their pups on Saturday nights because of the fireworks display, and they add that some dogs aren’t able to handle the combination of being kenneled and the crowd noise. Reservations are required; 312-924-1000
Restaurants
Lots of Chicago-area restaurants with sidewalk cafes or patios welcome pupsters–just so they don’t go indoors. However, due to space limitations, we chose only a pawful of places that honor their canine guests with special amenities.
Four Farthings Tavern and Grill, 2060 N. Cleveland St.; 312-935-2060. All dogs get a treat and a seat near the fire hydrant.
John’s Place, 1000 W. Webster St.; 312-525-6670. A dog valet service is available for owners who want to run inside to grab a smoothie to-go. The valet will hold onto the leash. For those seated outdoors, ice water in doggy bowls is presented to canine customers.
Yvette Restaurant, 1206 N. State Pkwy.; 312-280-1700. Human customers have to pay for their pate, but all canines get a sampling on the house.
Beaches
Pooches yearn to cool off during the dog days of summer. But that is no easy task. There are all those miles of beaches along Lake Michigan, but few allow dogs. And those that do charge up to $150 per dog (the fee for non-resident canines at Centennial Park beach in Winnetka). However, an exception is a beach known informally as Dog Beach, on the north end of Belmont Harbor in Lincoln Park.
It’s no wonder that folks come from miles around. Doug Fisher drove in from Park Ridge to give his Afghan hound Sinbad a chance to bound in the surf and make new friends.
“In Niles and Park Ridge, I can barely walk my dog for a walk on the street or in the park because of all the restrictions–it’s ridiculous. Here, the beach is fenced in and I can let my dog run.”
Barry Greenblatt drives in with his 4-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever named Bernie from Evanston. “It’s totally worth dealing with the parking and everything else,” he says. “This is a place where everyone is a dog owner, so if Bernie jumps on someone no one seems to mind. It’s a place where dogs can be dogs, and where Bernie gets a chance to swim.”
However, being an active harbor, some boaters have expressed concern about some dogs swimming out too far.
“We never intended to make a dog beach out of this place,” says Randy Mehrberg, lakefront director of the Chicago Park District. “But we understand that there should be specific places for dogs to socialize. We’re even looking into developing more dog-only type areas. However, even if a few of the owners don’t pick up after their pets or let their dogs swim out too far–they conceivably can ruin it for everyone else. And that would be a shame.”
FOR A KEENER, CLEANER, LEANER FIDO . . .
Here are some upcoming canine social events; if you’re lucky perhaps your dog will drag you along.
Dogs’ Night Out, 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Galleria Marchetti, 825 W. Erie St. This canine soiree will benefit the Lake Shore Foundation for Animals, a Near North Side no-kill shelter.
There will be contests for “Best Trick” and “Most Original Dog Costume.” (Sorry, there will be no award for the best people costume, and cats are not welcome.)
Canine guests will enjoy their own buffet. The people-food buffet will be prepared by the Como Inn. Tickets are $55 in advance, $65 at the door; call 312-733-6073.
The Anti-Cruelty Dog Wash, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 15. Pups will be hosed down in the shelter’s parking lot at Grand Avenue at LaSalle Street.
Awards will be given for the dirtiest dog, the dog who looks most like its owner and the dog who drools the most. Washes are $10 or $20; call 312-644-8338.
Pet-Athlon, starts at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 24 at the Old School Forest Preserve at St. Mary’s Road near Illinois Highway 176 in Libertyville.
This is a 1 1/3-mile walk around a lake to benefit Save-A-Pet, a no-kill shelter in Palatine. Newfoundlands are not allowed to cheat by swimming across the lake.
Walkers raise funds by finding sponsors; call 708-437-5704.
